Former Netanyahu aide Lieberman could be Israeli kingmaker
He's a former nightclub bouncer with a heavy Russian accent.
He also used to carry a fresh change of shirt for his political boss, Benjamin Netanyahu.
But now opinion polls suggest Avigdor Lieberman could emerge as a kingmaker after Israel's Tuesday election.
Putting him in a position where he could possibly end the mighty prime minister's decade in power.
It was Lieberman who handed Netanyahu a rare defeat after the April election.
Netanyahu needed his party's five seats to secure a majority in the 120-member parliament but Lieberman rejected his approaches.
Here's what he had to say at the time.
(SOUNDBITE) (Hebrew) AVIGDOR LIEBERMAN, THE LEADER OF THE ULTRANATIONALIST YISRAEL BEITENU, SAYING:
"Likud has failed in this mission - to form a coalition, to form a government. Together with submitting to the ultra-Orthodox, they bare full responsibility for the state of Israel going back to yet another election."
His issue was over conscription of ultra-Orthodox Jews into the military.
Unlike other 18-year-old Israeli Jews, they are exempt from compulsory service.
His frequent complaints about ultra-Orthodox political power and influence over everyday life in Israel play well with secular Israelis.
Since April's election Lieberman has refocused his political strategy to attract new supporters.
Five months ago, his party won five parliamentary seats.
Opinion polls are now predicting that will double to 10.
Potentially making Lieberman the linchpin in determining the composition and leadership of the next governing coalition.
Here's the editor in chief at Israel's Russian language channel.
(SOUNDBITE) (ENGLISH) DMITRI DOUBOV, EDITOR IN CHIEF OF ISRAEL'S RUSSIAN-LANGUAGE CHANNEL 9 TELEVISION, SAYING:
"He has an ability to crown the next prime minister, as I said, and he knows that very well. I don't think that even he himself sees himself as the next prime minister but he can set the conditions for the next coalition, to define it as he wants, as he sees fit."
